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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. march — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. march — the month
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pop — music
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. march — the month
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rash — hasty
  16. club — for golf
  17. bear — the animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pop — soda
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. club — a group
  24. pop — to visit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com